Along Came Mary
by wajag
Summary: Methos in his latest reincarnation as a Medical student dating a nice girl named Mary Lindsey


Author:wajag

Title:Along Came Mary

Feedback Listing:M, DM, JD, Dr A, Mary Lindsey

Summary:Methos is in medical college and living with a beautiful girl named Mary

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Highlander or any of the characters, but I'm sure the ones that do own them have lost them or they'd have been back on TV by now. I won't be making a profit off of this (or I would own Highlander and its characters.) _

Methos stretched out his body and ran a caressing hand down the shapely naked body lying beside him.

Mary hummed in pleasure at the caress and snuggled closer to her lover. As she drifted closer to full wakefulness, an unwelcome thought intruded. Her head quickly rose and she glanced at the digital clock beside the bed. She jolted into a sitting position.

Methos opened an eye at her abrupt movements but kept his comfortable position. Five thousand years of living in danger had finely tuned his instincts. His senses had already checked his surroundings as he woke and he'd felt nothing amiss in the room.

"Liz will be here in half an hour!" Mary exclaimed before she scrambled out of bed. Without further explanation she hurried to the bathroom.

Methos scowled before rolling onto his back. Liz was a fellow medical student and friend. Well, Liz was more Mary's friend than his, but that wasn't unusual. In his five thousand years of Immortal existence, Methos hadn't claimed too many people as friends. Methos had given his friendship to Immortal Duncan MacLeod and Watcher Joe Dawson. He'd risked his neck for both of them more than once and all he'd gotten was, 'Methos I don't know who or what you are.'".

'Who' or 'What', the nerve of the git! Methos had skipped town and stopped wasting his time with the irritating young Immortal. Methos had sent Joe postcards until the Watcher's death ten years ago, but had dropped the Highlander from his mailing list. He'd wait for the Highlander to get a few centuries under his belt so that he'd get a clue before he checked on him again.

With a sigh for the foolishness of schedules, Methos flipped aside the blankets and rolled out of bed. He heard the shower start. He slipped on a fresh pair of jeans and padded barefoot to the kitchen. He started the coffee and put bread in the toaster. Hearing a knock at the apartment door, he walked over to it and looked out the peep hole. Seeing Liz's smiling face, he unlocked and opened the door. He hid his surprise when he saw a middle aged woman standing beside Liz. He hadn't seen her in the peephole. Sloppy, he chastised himself.

"Look who I found, Mary's mom!" Liz said happily.

Methos looked at the woman's surprised face. She obviously hadn't expected 'him' either. Methos stepped aside and gestured them in. Liz led the way, followed by a still shocked 'mom'.

"Mary's in the shower. I'm Andrew Adams. My friends call me Drew." Methos said and extended his hand. The woman hesitated before she extended her hand and shook his with the barest margin of politeness.

"Anne Lindsey. You're Drew, Mary's roommate?"

Methos nodded and tried not to let his amusement show. So Mary hadn't shared that little tidbit with her mother. Children, they'd rather ask forgiveness than permission! He supposed now he'd have to do damage control. "I'm a ninth year. What brings you into town?" Methos asked as he shut the door and moved into the kitchen. He poured the visitors a cup of coffee.

"A friend had business in town and I came with him. I thought I'd surprise Mary; instead I'm the one that surprised. Mary didn't tell me she had a male roommate. "

Mary walked from the bedroom in her housecoat, with her head down as she towel dried her hair. "I'll be just a minute, Liz." She looked up with a smile that quickly turned to a gasp of surprise, "Mom?" She hurried forward to hug her mother.

Methos watched the uncomfortable reunion before he took his toast and coffee and headed for the bedroom. "I'll just leave you ladies to catch up."

Anne waited until the young man shut the bedroom door before she looked at her daughter in disapproval.

"It's not what you think Mother. Well, actually it is what you think, but not as bad as you think."

"I don't know Mary; I think it is as bad as I think. I find out the roommate you implied was a woman, is actually a man."

"Mother, catch up to this century. Drew and I have known each other for six years. We only moved in together a year ago."

"A year! That's no excuse Mary. What ever happened to dating before moving in together?"

"We were dating. I just didn't tell you."

"Drew is the catch of the school." Liz added, trying to help.

Anne glared at the young woman. Liz shrugged at Mary, she'd tried.

"Why didn't you tell me Mary, what were you hiding?"

"I'm not hiding anything. I didn't want to jinx a relationship with Drew, and I've known I loved him for years. I was going to tell you. I just wanted time to solidify our relationship before I brought Drew home for the holidays."

In actuality, Mary had been worried that her Mother and Uncle Duncan would react badly. Both of them had intimidated every date she'd had in high school and college. When she'd transferred to medical school, she'd purposely chosen the east coast. When Drew had finally consented to go out with her after three years of working on him, she wasn't taking any chances that her family would ruin it.

Drew was everything she'd ever wanted in a man; handsome, sensitive, and smart. He had similar career goals and ethics. Drew had been the eligible bachelor of the school despite his efforts not to be. He received a generous monthly allowance from the same trust fund that paid for his medical school. He was in the top of his class and came from an influential family. Mary had been in heaven! It had been a real victory when Drew had finally agreed that they'd move in together. After that concession, Mary had been hesitant to ask him to visit her home on the west coast. She was afraid Drew would take that as pressure to get married. Although that would make Mary's life perfect, Drew had always implied that he'd come from a broken home and didn't have much regard for the piece of paper a marriage certificate was printed on.

Mary used the excuse of needing to get dressed to get temporarily away from her mother's inquisition. She shut the door and smiled at the curious look Drew gave her. "Family, you gotta love them." She said with a heavy sigh. Drew finished putting on his shoes.

Drew stood and crossed the room to wrap his arms around her in a comforting hug. "Are you going to be okay?" He asked.

Mary nodded. "She was just surprised. I know I'd be if I went home to visit and found out she had a live-in lover after all of these years alone."

"Parents are people too." Drew said in reassurance. He tightened his hug for an instant before he released her and kissed the top of her forehead. "Got to run. I'll call after classes to see what you want to do for dinner."

Mary nodded. "I love you Drew."

Methos avoided the expected response. "Tease, you know I have to run."

Mary followed him as he went into the living room.

"I'm off to class, Liz, have fun. Ms. Lindsey, it was nice meeting you." Methos extended his hand, only to pull it back when she pointedly ignored his gesture.

"Oh we'll be seeing each other again Drew." Anne Lindsey said.

Methos smiled at Mary's rolled eyes. Methos waved and left the apartment.

Methos had chosen to return to medical school after leaving his former life as Adam Pierson. When he'd left Seacouver two decades ago, he'd traveled the world like a good little new Immortal. When his Watcher had grown complacent, he'd dumped him. Methos had stayed in hiding until he was quite sure that the Watchers had lost him. Then he'd created his new identity as Andrew Adams.

Methos had sent his recent medical school years enjoying his fellow students and acting the age he looked. When he'd transferred into this college he'd attracted the attention of many of the young ladies, apparently intrigued with the English accent which he'd kept as part of his background as Benjamin Adam's descendant. When the fascination of the females had carried on for years with no signs of abating, Methos chose one of the less giddy young women to date. Using her as his alibi and cover, eventually the other young women lost interest. Since Mary was pretty, smart, and sensible, Methos accommodated her request to move in together. He didn't want to have to go to the trouble of selecting a new girlfriend. He knew that Mary loved him and frequently told him her feelings, but she was a convenience for him. So far, he'd avoided lying to her.

Having sex readily available had helped him to make up his mind. Having met the less than friendly mother, he was going to have to reconsider the situation. Like Mother, like daughter, he thought. He'd married many times for appearances so he wasn't concerned about not loving Mary if it kept his cover, but he didn't want the unpleasantness of an unhappy mother-in-law. Methos shrugged off a decision and went to class.

Anne Lindsey stepped out of the cab and handed the driver his fare. She walked briskly into the hotel where she and Duncan MacLeod were staying. When Duncan had asked if she'd like to come on this business trip with him, she'd been delighted. She'd wanted to surprise Mary while Duncan checked on his business concerns here. Always a gentleman, Duncan had gotten them a two bedroom suite at a very nice hotel near Mary's address.

Anne glanced at her watch as she impatiently waited for the elevator. Duncan should be back at their suite by now. Maybe he could talk some sense into Mary. If not that, then maybe he could talk to the young man. She opened the door and looked around for Duncan. He was at the desk phone speaking in rapid French. He smiled at her.

Anne smiled at him and went to her room to freshen up. She joined him in the common area when she heard him end his call and he could focus his attention on what she had to tell him.

"Anne, what's wrong?" He asked suddenly worried about Mary. Anne looked tense and upset.

"Mary is living with a man. She couldn't even tell her own mother! I had to find this out when he opened the door to their apartment half naked!"

"She's what?" Duncan asked. Mary was living with a man? Maybe Anne was misunderstanding the relationship. Mary hadn't had any serious relationships with her infrequent boyfriends in the past.

"She claimed she just hadn't gotten around to telling me yet. He's another medical student, a few years ahead of her, but they're still too young to make decisions like this."

Duncan let Anne rant for a while before he approached her and pulled her into his arms. When she'd calmed a little, Mac interjected. "On the bright side, it sounds like Mary and her young man are close to the same age so he isn't a lecherous old man preying on an innocent young girl. He's in medical school so he has prospects and isn't a deadbeat. If he's a couple years ahead of Mary, he's almost done with his schooling. That shows that he has ambition, some income, and definitely a career motivation. And lastly, Mary has too much sense to settle for just anyone. You did a fine job raising her Anne." Duncan consoled.

Anne nodded reluctantly. "I guess it could be worse, but will you still have a talk with them? I invited them to dinner in the hotel restaurant."

Duncan nodded. "Aye, I'll talk with Mary and her young man."

As promised, Methos called Mary after he'd gotten out of class. "Is the coast clear?" He said only partially joking.

He heard Mary sigh. "It is for now, but Mom wants us to join them for dinner at their hotel."

"Them?"

"My mom and my uncle. Do you mind?" Methos could hear the worry in Mary's voice.

Methos exaggerated a sigh. "Oh all right, but just because you asked so cutely."

"Thanks Drew, I'm so sorry my Mom popped in unexpected and is being such a pooh."

"Relax Mary, by the end of dinner she'll love me; my keen British wit, my lively personality, I even know which fork to use."

Mary laughed at his upper crust mannerisms, as Methos had intended. "Right, then I'll head home and we can meet them…where and when?"

Mary passed on the information before hanging up. She planned on being very firm with her mother and Uncle Duncan. She wasn't a little girl anymore and she would decide who she wanted in her life. Without a doubt, she knew she wanted Drew.

For Mary's sake, Methos had put on a suit and tie when he'd heard where the dinner was to be. He stopped the car at the valet area and went around the car to open the car door for Mary. "You look beautiful." He complimented her.

Mary had dressed in clothes that left no doubt that she was an adult. She smiled gratefully at him, she'd been nervous all afternoon. Methos guided her into the hotel, his hand lightly on the small of her back in a show of support.

They rode the elevator up to the tower restaurant. In the restaurant lobby, Mary gestured at the restroom doors. "Give me a minute?"

Methos nodded, knowing Mary needed a minute to bolster her resolve. When Mary disappeared behind the ladies room door, Methos positioned himself so that he could see into the large dining area. He froze when he felt another Immortal. He hadn't felt another Immortal in decades! He stepped over to some large, decorative plants and out of plain view to look around inconspicuously. A man just beginning to stand up at a table by the windows caught his attention. He recognized the Highlander and the woman he'd been sitting at the table with.

"Bloody hell!" Methos cursed softly. His mind quickly ran through his options. When Mac moved towards the lobby area where Methos stood, he decided on a plan of action.

Methos stepped out from the cover of the plants and walked towards the approaching Highlander. When Mac was close enough to hear him, Methos spoke. "Duncan MacLeod of the clan MacLeod." He smiled in amusement at the gray brushed into Mac's hair to give the appearance of aging. The things the Highlander would do to stay with his clan!

"Adam!" Mac said, using the last name Methos had been using. Mac was glad to see Methos and when Methos extended his hand, Mac pulled him into a hug.

Years ago Methos had become a friend and a welcome presence in Mac's life. After O'Rourke had tried to kill Mac by using his friends as bait, Methos had gone walkabout. Joe's explanation for Methos' abrupt departure had been that the old man had been exposed to the Watchers as an Immortal. Joe had kept up Methos' story and told any Watcher that asked that Adam Pierson was just a new Immortal exploring the world for the first time. Mac's first student Richie Ryan had made a similar journey not long after taking his first head. When Methos had begun sending Joe Dawson postcards to let him know that he was still alive and well, Joe had shared them with Mac. Joe had looked forward to receiving the postcards from around the world.

After Joe's death, the postcards had stopped. Mac had expected Methos to reappear but years had passed with no word from Methos. Mac had missed the ancient Immortal and hoped that this meant that Methos had decided to stop traveling.

"You clean up nice. What name are you going by? I want to introduce you to a friend."

"Andrew Adams." Methos supplied as he let Mac pull him to Anne's table.

"Anne, I ran into an old friend." Mac said when they reached the table.

"We've met, but until I saw you together I didn't make the connection. After all, I'm on the opposite side of the country." Methos said before Mac could continue.

"You've met?" Mac asked. Anne looked horrified and looked from Mac to Andrew.

"How old a friend?" She breathed, an awful feeling growing in the pit of her stomach.

"I helped paint your house when Mac was restoring it." Methos supplied, deciding to get it out in the open. He knew that Anne knew of Mac's Immortality.

"You're one of them." Anne said in horror.

Methos gave Mac a meaningful look. "Yes Mac and I are one of 'them'."

"Where's Mary?" Anne asked as she quickly stood, more determined than ever to end this relationship.

"Freshening up in the ladies room." Methos responded, more convinced that Anne wasn't a woman he wanted for a mother-in-law.

Anne headed for the restrooms without excusing herself. Mac looked at Anne's departing back in surprise. Then he looked at Methos, finally realizing what was going on. "You're Mary's live-in boyfriend."

Methos nodded. "I didn't make the connection until I saw you together. Mary never talks about home and I've never seen any pictures of her family."

"You have to break it off. It's too dangerous for Mary; besides, you're too old for her." Mac said as he sat down heavily. He kept his eyes on Methos, trying to convince the older Immortal.

"Why?" Methos said affecting a look of confused innocence. Unwillingly, Methos knew he was going to have to teach MacLeod another life lesson.

"Why what?" Mac sputtered. He thought he'd been clear enough.

"Why is it too dangerous? I haven't taken a challenge or felt another Immortal in ten years, until I felt you."

"You can't go by that." Mac tried.

"Oh yes I can. No Immortal challenges means Mary is only exposed to everyday life as a mortal. She's in less danger than Anne is since we're only in college and not exposed to violent offenders in the ER." Methos pointed out. When Mac would have continued to argue, Methos changed the subject. "And I'm older than everyone on the planet. Are you saying that you won't get involved with anyone younger than you, even if they are legal age for mortals?"

Mac couldn't respond to that. "She's my niece!" He said going back to his original argument.

A fiery brunette in a black spaghetti strap dress and jacket, followed by a beautiful older brunette burst into the restaurant area. Mary marched up to Methos and wrapped her arm possessively around his. "Drew, we're leaving."

Methos looked at Mac and spoke in Gaelic so only the Scot would understand. "Be very careful how you handle this Highlander. Mary is not a child. Are you thinking of her happiness and best interests, or your own? She won't understand if I break up with her, and I won't tell her what I am. Think very hard on this MacLeod." Methos nodded at Anne and left with Mary.

Mary sat stiffly in the car on the way back home, her body broadcasting her anger. Methos glanced at her in amusement. "You know parents never think the boyfriends are ever good enough for their little girl. Don't take it so seriously."

Mary shifted to face him. "But where does she get off telling me that I can't choose who I choose to love, I'm not a child!"

"You will always be her little girl. She's only worried about what's best for you. Statistics show that most college relationships fail."

"I'm not just a statistic, I know what I want."

"That's true." Methos said before continuing. "I'm close to graduating. What if I get a job offer on the other side of the country? You can't just transfer to follow me or set aside your goals."

"You aren't that close to graduating." Mary said having worried for some time about the thought of Drew leaving.

"It will come sooner than you realize." Methos said gently.

"I'd follow you Drew." Mary said in a desperate voice and leaned over to hold him.

"I know you would, but I wouldn't ask it of you. You have too much potential to put your career aside."

Mary was scared by Drew's words. Would Drew leave her? "I'm not going to let my mother tell me what to do." She said angrily, blaming her mother for causing Drew to even think such things.

"She loves you. It's her job to help you avoid some of the mistakes she's made or has seen other people make."

"Are you agreeing with her?" Mary said in sick disbelief.

"No, I'm merely pointing out that there may be another side you aren't seeing."

"She can't live with one of you!" Anne said adamantly as they walked back to their room. She tossed her coat and purse onto the chair closest to the door.

"Adam. I mean Andrew, is a good man Anne."

"Just how well do you know him? How many heads has he taken? How old is he?" Anne asked in rapid fire questions.

Duncan poured them both a drink and offered it to Anne. He coaxed her to sit down on the couch and sat beside her.

"He avoids challenges. He says he hasn't had one in ten years. But he can defend himself and Mary if he has to." Mac offered. He was uncomfortable defending Methos.

"I don't want Mary in a situation where she has to be defended. Duncan, I couldn't live with your dangerous lifestyle and I don't want Mary to have to either." Anne hesitated. "Has he told Mary what he is?"

Mac shook his head. "No, he wouldn't tell anyone about us unless he had to. People treat us differently when they know."

"Then you have to tell her. She deserves to know the truth so she can make an informed decision like I did." Anne said adamantly.

"We can't go around telling people about us!" Duncan said and got up to pace the room. "We'd be in danger. Besides, you don't know that Mary's that serious. They're just living together right now, not married." Mac said remembering the warning that Methos had given him.

'No, she has to know what kind of a … man she's sleeping with."

Mac didn't miss the hesitation as Anne changed the word she was going to use. A shiver went up his spine. "What kind of a man would that be?" He asked in a voice void of emotion.

Anne looked him in the eye. "A killer. A man that will live for hundreds of years while she grows old. A man that can't give her children and whose lifestyle will bring other killers to endanger Mary."

"Is that really how you see us Anne? Dangerous abominations? Why did you let me watch Mary for you all those years when you needed a baby sitter? Why all the birthdays and Christmas dinners if you felt so threatened?" Mac asked angrily. "Is that what you think of me? Am I good enough to have as a friend, but heaven forbid your daughter would want to marry one. That sounds pretty hypocritical to me."

Mac put his drink aside and reached for his coat. He left the room without looking back at Anne. At the street level, Mac caught a cab and headed to Mary's apartment intent on asking Mary what she wanted.

Mac was met at the door before he could knock. Methos' face was expressionless but Mac felt the chill of those piercing eyes. Methos had changed into faded jeans and a sweatshirt. Mary sat on the couch in a huddled position, dressed in faded sweats.

"Can we talk Mary?" Mac asked.

Methos looked between the two and grabbed his coat and backpack. "I'll be at the library." He left without another word.

Mary glared at Uncle Duncan. "Why are you doing this? I'm not a child and I know what I want!"

Mac sat beside Mary on the couch and took her hand. "I came to ask why you felt you couldn't tell us that you had found someone important in your life."

"Uncle Duncan think about it, my mom hasn't approved of any of the guys I went out with. It was always one thing or another; they weren't from the right part of town or the right school. Or maybe they weren't serious enough about their grades or they'd chosen the wrong career. So many stupid excuses and I got tired of it. I picked this college because it was on the other side of the country! I knew if I told mom about Drew, she'd make up some fault with him just like all the others. Or she'd be rude enough to him to drive him away from me."

"Drew has a pretty tough skin, I'm sure he's not as upset as you think." Mac said with a snort.

"She shouldn't be rude to him at all. She treats strangers better than she treats the man I love."

"Do you love him Mary? Or is this just an act of independence for your mother's benefit."

"I love him Uncle Duncan! You can't imagine what I feel. I knew he was special from the moment I first saw him." Mary's glistening eyes pleaded with Uncle Duncan to hear her.

"I was just one of hundreds of new students at the best medical college in the country. I walked into the orientation class and spotted him from across the room. He was smiling and his dimples were showing. His eyes sparkled and I felt the earth move. I knew I had to get to know him. I watched how the groups were picked and worked it so that he'd be my tour guide. I was thrilled that his lovely voice matched his smile and sparkling eyes. It didn't take much to find out more about him, all the girls knew who he was and wanted to go out with him."

Mary's face was beaming with incredulous joy. "He's everything I ever dreamed of in a man. He's handsome, brilliant, kind, and witty. He's from a good family, has money and a good future in medicine."

Mary looked searchingly at Uncle Duncan. "I schemed and put myself in classes and situations where I could get to know him better. He's the best thing that ever happened to me. This isn't an act of rebellion or independence; I want to be with Drew as much as I want to be a doctor."

Mac rubbed his forehead. Methos was probably all those things and more when he wanted to be. After five thousand years he could undoubtedly charmed the stripes off a snake!

"What do you really know about him?" Mac asked Mary, wondering what Methos had told her as a background for this persona.

Mary looked at Duncan suspiciously. "Both you and Mom have implied that there is something you know about Drew but aren't saying. What is it?" Mary demanded.

It would serve Methos right if he directed Mary to ask the older Immortal; she was a very determined young woman. But it was dangerous for too many people to know that Immortals existed. "We were just concerned when we found out you were living with someone, in the way we did."

Mac talked with Mary for an hour, trying to ease her suspicions. At the end of the hour he was convinced that she truly felt love for Methos' current persona. Still not having a clear idea of what he needed to do, Mac said his goodbyes and went in search of Methos at the medical library on campus.

It took Mac forty-five minutes to find Methos in the library, even with advantage of the Immortal buzz. Methos was in the far corner of the third floor, near the windows and an emergency exit. Always leaving himself a backdoor to escape Mac thought. Methos didn't look happy to see Mac although he didn't get up and leave.

Methos paused in his writing but didn't speak, forcing Mac to give the reason for seeking him out.

"Mary loves you." Mac said and Methos merely nodded. "Why did it have to be you? Mary deserves a normal life and children. Anne deserves to be a grandmother."

Mac's words irritated Methos, but he refused to let it show on his face. The rhetorical questions didn't deserve an answer. Methos remembered the last words MacLeod had spoken to him decades ago. 'I don't know who or what you are Methos.' Apparently who or what he was wasn't good enough for Mary in Mac's estimation. Making up his mind, Methos began collecting his books.

"I don't offer advice often MacLeod but the situation begs it; like mother like daughter. Never marry a woman with an unhappy mother-in-law, especially one that knows what we are and how to kill us." He zipped his backpack closed.

"I'll stay at a hotel tonight. It will take me a few days to arrange things but I'll be called back to London, family emergency. I won't leave forwarding information so don't bother looking for me." Methos slipped the backpack over his shoulder.

"MacLeod." Methos stared at Mac until the Highlander looked up from his clasped hands.

In a cold, firm voice Methos spoke. "Next time I see you, I'm going in the opposite direction, and you'd better not follow." Methos left the library.

Mac was torn by indecision. Mac felt bad about what had happened, he hadn't even asked Methos if he loved Mary. Anne was wrong about wanting to control Mary's relationships and Mary was the one that would be devastated by Methos' desertion. She'd never understand why he'd left; and she'd rightfully believe it had been because of Anne's and Duncan's interference. This day was just getting worse by the minute.

Methos checked into a mid-range hotel across town. He called one of his agents who would take care of the details for his to move back to London. He ordered room service and logged onto his laptop to begin the process of transferring his class credits to St. Bartholomew's medical college.

Mary called Drew when he wasn't home by midnight. She left a message, the first of many. When morning came, Mary hurried to the library. One of the librarians that had been on the night shift remembered she'd seen Drew talking to a tall, good looking man. Drew had left shortly after the Librarian had seen them talking; but the tall man had remained for sometime afterwards.

There was no question in Mary's mind of who the good looking man had been. Mary raced to the hotel where her mother and Uncle Duncan were staying. She angrily pounded on their suite door. When Duncan opened the door in a hotel robe, Mary pushed her way into the room. "How could you? Drew didn't come home last night and the last person he talked to was you!"

Anne came out of her room tying the belt of her robe. "Mary what's wrong?"

"You are! You drove Drew away for your own selfish reasons. Go home. I don't want to see either of you right now." Mary shouted.

"Mary calm down. If Drew left he wasn't good enough for you." Anne explained.

"He was special Mother; he was more than good enough for me."

"If he left it was by his own choice. If he had cared about you as much as you thought, he'd still be here." Anne said, trying to disguise her relief.

"I'd be angry if you treated me like that. Drew didn't deserve the treatment you gave him. He could have gone out with any girl in the school and he chose me." Mary sobbed and ran from the room.

When Anne would have followed, Duncan stopped her. "Let her go; you got what you wanted."

"Is he gone then?" Anne asked.

Mac sat wearily on the sofa. "He's probably halfway across the Atlantic by now. He said he'd never join a family with an unhappy mother-in-law that knew what he was."

"See! That just proves that he didn't love Mary." Anne said her feelings vindicated.

"He wouldn't have told me if he did." Mac was irritated at Anne's attitude. He hadn't expected Methos to react so quickly, but he wasn't surprised that he had. Methos wasn't one to hesitate when his safety was involved. Mac decided to give Anne something to think about.

"I remember Drew's last wife Alexa, she was one of Joe Dawson's barmaids. Diagnosed with terminal Cancer, she'd given up and was just waiting to die. He took her on a tour of the world and when she couldn't go any further, he got her the best doctors in the world. He tried everything to save her." Mac remembered Methos' quest for the Methuselah stone. "When she died, he was devastated."

Because Anne was listening quietly, Mac continued. "He puts that kind of heart into everything he cares about. Once I'd taken a bad Quickening and he came halfway around the world to try and save me. When any sane person would have run for their life, he trapped me in a grotto and stayed with me until I was myself again. Later, he seemed to show up whenever I needed a friend. The last thing he said to me last night was that if he felt me coming, he was going in the other direction and I shouldn't follow."

"He threatened you?" Anne asked in surprise.

"No, he warned me, the last favor for a friend."

"Some friend," Anne snorted.

"Yes, a friend. He left Mary because I asked him to." Mac said quietly, his heart heavy. "Because he loves me like a son."

When Mary got an impersonal note from Drew that said he was returning to England, she blamed Duncan and her mother and refused to see them for the three days they remained in town. Anne was very upset and blamed Drew for having started all the trouble. Mac was silent, trying to balance his love of Anne as a friend, Mary as a daughter, and Methos as his friend.

The years went by quickly. Mary became a doctor and remained on the East Coast. She married another doctor midway through her thirties but divorced him two years later. Duncan MacLeod died publicly in an automobile accident in Seacouver and was forced to move to Europe and cut his ties in the states. Anne grew old, missing her friend Duncan, and her daughter who'd remained aloof.

Anne lay in the bed of her nursing home, too weak in strength to rise, too weak in spirit to try. She knew that her body was shutting down,. She'd called Mary that morning and practically had to beg her to visit. She'd made another call to Duncan who'd said that he would make arrangements to visit. But for now, Anne was alone.

She looked away from the window of her room when the door opened. Expecting the nurse to check on her medication, she was surprised when a young man entered. It took her several moments to recognize him. "You !"

The familiar young man nodded. "I'm going by Peter Kirby now, an expert in Middle Eastern Affairs."

Uninvited, the Immortal made himself comfortable in a chair by the bed. "What are you doing here?" Anne asked angrily. "Come to gloat at an old woman?"

"Despite the fact that you deserve it, I actually came by to chat. You seemed rather alone these days. I've an interesting story if you like to hear it."

"A story about what?" Anne asked suspiciously.

"A story about the building of the pyramids. I was there you know. Egypt was the cradle of civilization, the place to be. I was a scribe then, already Immortal. I have no idea how old I was because I can't remember back that far."

Methos told his edited story, watching as Anne's hostility turned to rapt interest. He stayed for several hours, taking her back in time and relating the many times he'd been a healer. When the nurse came in to bring Anne's dinner, he excused himself. At the door, he stopped when Anne called to him. Methos turned back to look at the bed.

"Why? Why didn't you tell me these things all those years ago?" Anne was confused and conflicted. This man had shared amazing things with her; she'd had no idea of his age. Now she could understand what Mary had seen in him.

Methos was silent for a moment, gentling the words he could have said. "You weren't ready to listen."

Anne nodded. She hadn't been ready to listen to anything this man said. She'd only wanted to believe that all Immortals were serial killers and Duncan merely an exception among his kind. She knew Duncan killed when he had to, but she'd never extended this acceptance to other Immortals.

"Would you have stayed with Mary?" Anne asked, regretting her actions years ago and afraid that she already knew the answer.

"Until her dying breath," Methos lied. Methos had decided years ago to wait a few decades before reappearing. Mary Lindsay had remained ignorant of the existence of Immortals, mostly because Mac had been forced to drop out of her life. He'd come here today to ensure her silence on the existence of Immortals. She hadn't said anything to anyone in all the years she'd known MacLeod's secret, but the doctors only gave her a few weeks, maybe a month to live. Methos had wanted her last impressions of him to be positive. Reinforced by Mac's visit, she'd carry the secret of Immortals to her grave.

Anne nodded solemnly. She'd made a mistake so many years ago. "Will you come back to visit me?" She wanted to learn more about him, about Immortals.

Methos shook his head no. "I want to be out of town before MacLeod arrives, he's scheduled to arrive tomorrow."

"You can't forgive him?" Anne asked in concern. Had her actions so long ago ruined the potentially eternal friendship?

"For being true to his nature?" Methos smiled. "There was no need to forgive. There's just no way I'm going to put up with his guilt trip and brooding this century." Methos said with a grin.

Methos could hear Anne's relieved and understanding laughter as he sauntered down the sterile corridors.

Methos had no intention of letting MacLeod run into him anytime soon. The Scot had to realize that for every action, there was a reaction. Cause and affect. The Highlander was slowly learning this lesson, the hard way of course. Methos would keep an eye on the Highlander from afar. If Mac truly needed him, he'd come to the rescue, but for now he'd watch from a distance, because that is what friends do.

The End


End file.
